Care and affection
by xXSakura-Hime-SamaXx
Summary: It was...odd to have these two strange men wandering around Konoha after the war, especially with the attention they constantly gave her. But then again, maybe it was because she always went out of her way to be friendly, to treat them just like everyone else. Human.


It was...odd to have these two strange men wandering around Konoha after the war, especially with the attention they constantly gave her.

Maybe it was because she was their former host's teammate, maybe it was because she always made sure to keep them in line, unlike everyone else.

But then again, maybe it was because she always went out of her way to be friendly, to treat them just like everyone else.

From the first time she'd met Ashura and Indra, Sakura had a small smile and a warm hello upon every meeting. She didn't bow, didn't act star struck, didn't treat them like they were gods.

No, to her, they were just...normal people.

Insanely powerful and almost god like, but they were still human and deserved to be treated as such.

Ashura had warmed up to her near instantly, swooping in and sweeping the confused woman away from the baffled Hokage and Hokage to be, bombarding her with question after question. He'd grinned at her the whole time, and every time they ran into each other after that initial meeting, he always made time for her, even if it was odd to stop dead in the middle of the street and try to start a conversation. He was odd, but he was kind, and Sakura needed more kind people in her life after the war and everything she'd been through.

Indra had taken longer to warm up to her, just shaking his head and silently judging his brothers actions. He seemed to have gotten used to her though, her constant smile and the way she kept Naruto and Ashura in line always bringing a smirk to his face. Yes, it had taken a lot of time and effort on her part to get to know him, but when he finally admitted that he found her to be a good companion, she just hugged him and refused to make a big deal out of it.

He'd seemed grateful for that, especially with how his brother was gaping at him like a madman.

They called her loyal.

Trustworthy.

And overall, a wonderful woman that had their respect.

And she was very flattered to be held in such high regard especially since Indra didn't so much as speak to anyone without a lot of prompting and silent judgement.

These two men, as odd as they were, had wormed their way into her heart.

Just like she had burrowed deeply into hers.

Yes, Ashura may practically announce it to the world, and Indra may try to deny it..

But Sakura Haruno...she was very important to them.

It wasn't strange for the people of Konoha to see them lingering outside the hospital anymore, or at the training grounds while she practised. Heck, it wasn't odd to see the three of them enjoying themselves at the nearest tea house, dango in hand while Ashura joked about and Sakura just giggled away, Indra having to subdue his brother so she could actually finish her tea after a while.

It was rumoured that they even petitioned to go on missions with her only to be turned down by the Hokage herself, the woman supposedly telling them that her apprentice could take care of herself.

And as true as that was, they didn't do any of this because they thought she couldn't handle herself.

They did it because they cared.

They cared for her deeply, more than they knew they should...

Because when she saw them waiting for her outside the hospital late at night, having shown up to escort her home, Ashura would blush. He loved her smile, the touched look she'd get when someone, anyone, went out of their way for her. She deserved to have nice things done for her at every opportunity, she did so much for everyone else...

Because when he helped her understand and master a new technique, Indra would feel his stomach flutter and churn in a way he was unfamiliar with, her arms always having wrapped around him in thanks as she whispered just that too him. The skill she showed, while nowhere near that of he or his brother, was remarkable and deserved to be nurtured.

Yes, they did these things because she was their friend, the only one to treat them like they were _human_.

The only one who had ever cared about _them_ and not what they could do.

And if they seemed a little overprotective because of all the little things they did to see her smile, so be it.

They honestly didn't care what anyone else thought when they both took her out to dinner, or walked her through the park, or brought her ice cream and sat with her while she ate it.

She was all that mattered.

Sakura Haruno, with her kind smiles, her soft looks, her hot temper and her drive to better herself. The lone pink haired woman who treated them like they were human and not something to be marvelled at or feared.

And they loved her for it.

No matter how odd or wrong anyone may consider it, they loved Sakura Haruno, and that would never change.


End file.
